Expandable shoe tree



March 29, 1955 SOLOMON 2,704,850

EXPANDABLE SHOE TREE Filed June 26 1951 United States Patent O EXPANDABLE SHOE TREE Louis Solomon, Chicago, lll.

Application June 26, 1951, Serial No. 233,621

1 Claim. (Cl. 12-128.1)

My invention relates to improvements in shoe trees for maintaining the proper shape of shoes when they are not in use.

It is an object of my invention to provide a simple, eicient and economical shoe tree which is so constructed as to be readily inserted and withdrawn from a shoe, and which is particularly adapted to maintain the shape of the shoe.

My invention also comprises such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of my invention, yet it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my shoe tree; Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the same, partially broken away; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same; Fig. 4 is a rear end elevational View of the same; Fig. 5 is a front end elevational view of the same; and Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the front portion opposite to Fig. 2.

The embodiment selected to illustrate my invention comprises a front member 10 and a rear member 11 spaced by and connected with a coiled spring 12.

The front member 10 has on its upper surface a tapered and rounded toe portion 13 with a downwardly sloping front Wall 14, an outer downwardly sloping side wall 15, a substantially vertically extending inner side wall 16, a raised rear portion 17 and a vertically cut rear end 18.

The under surface of front member 10 is cut out from the front end of toe portion 13 to rear end 18, with the cut out 19 so curved that the edge of the outer side Wall extends substantially below the edge of inner side wall 16.

Rear end 18 is in the form of an eccentric crescent, with its outer end thinner than and extending below its thicker inner end. At a point 20, in rear end 18, substantially to the side of center opposite the outer end is an opening within which the inner end of coiled spring 12 is anchored.

The outer end of coiled spring 12 extends within au opening in the center of the front end of rear member 11, within which it is suitably anchored. My rear member 11 is oval shaped.

In use, the front member 10 is inserted in the front of a shoe and the coiled spring 12 is bent on itself until rear member 11 bears against the inside surface of the back of the shoe. The spring 12 thrusts forwardly aud because of its location off center from the outer side wall also exerts an outward pressure sulicient to fiill out the shoe to the outer edge and retain it in shape, free of wrinkles and pockets.

The cut out portion 19 permits air to enter the shoe beneath the shoe tree and dry out moisture for added efficiency in maintaining the form.

My shoe tree requires a minimum of materials and labor to construct and may thus be manufactured simply and economically, While at the same time eiciently performing its task of maintaining the shape and form of the shoe while it is not in use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

An expandable shoe tree comprising a front member having a tapered and rounded front toe portion, a downwardly sloping outer side wall, a more vertically extending inner side wall, a raised rear portion, and a vertically cut rear end, said front member having a cut out portion in its under surface from said curved front toe portion to said rear end so that the edge of said outer side wall extends below the edge of said inner side wall, a rear member in the form of an eccentric crescent with its outer end thinner than and extending below its thicker inner end, a single coiled spring having its rear end at tached to said rear member and its front end attached to the rear end of said front member at a point substantially to the side of center of said rear end opposite said outer side wall, said outer side wall adapted when the shoe tree is inserted into a shoe to till out the shoe to its outer edge for retaining the shape of the shoe, and the cut out por tion adapted to permit air to enter for drying out moisture to further aid in retaining the shape of the shoe.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,928,596 Mara Sept. 26, 1933 2,169,151 Jones Aug. 8, 1939 2,226,565 Kristal Dec. 31, 1940 2,381,419 Atlass Aug. 7, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 146,271 Austria June 25, 1936 

